[MLS SPOTLIGHT]Jose Adolfo Valencia, the first MLS signing to a Young Designated Player contract, won't be playing any
time soon. The son of former Colombian great Adolfo "El Tren" Valencia underwent successful surgery Monday afternoon to repair damaged cartilage in his left
knee. He'll miss 6-12 months.

"El Trencito" trained with the Timbers just once in January before he was held out because of swelling of his knee.

“I’m gutted for
him as a person,” Timbers head coach John Spencer said after an MRI confirmed the injury. “I’m a father myself, and to be in a different country, doesn’t speak
the language and all of a sudden after a week here, you’re getting knee surgery. It’s disappointing. We’re going to try to put an arm around him and look after him and protect him as
much as we can.”

It is uncertain when the 20-year-old Valencia was hurt. The loan agreement reached in December with Colombia's Independiente Santa Fe was rewritten after his injury
became apparent.

Rules for Young Designated Players were instituted for 2012 to allow teams to take a chance on young foreign players without having their contract count against their
salary cap.

In the case of the Timbers and Valencia, it was a big chance, but the agreement with Independiente Santa Fe will mean Valencia won't be considered a Young Designated
Player.

MLS has had bad luck with young signings this preseason. El Salvador product Marvin Iraheta (Chivas USA) is also out with a knee injury,
while U.S. U-20 prospect Jose Villarreal is sidelined with a leg injury.